GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND PLASMA ANTIOXIDANT CAPACITY OF BROILER CHICKENS FED Schilbe mystus (African Butter Catfish fishmeal) FORTIFIED WITH VITAMIN E

               ABSTRACTS

A six-week experimental study was conducted to estimate the growth performance and plasma antioxidant capacity of broiler chickens fed Schilbe mystus fishmeal fortified with or without vitamin E. The vitamin E was fortified at two levels of 400mg and 800mg per kilogram of Schilbe mystus for the experimental diets. One hundred and ninety five (195) day old chicks broiler of Marshal strain were used. These birds were randomly allotted to five dietary treatment of 39 birds per treatment and each treatment was replicated thrice with 13 chicks per treatment in a completely randomized design experiment. Five experimental diets were formulated for the study. Diet that did not contain fishmeal served as the negative control (T1), diet that contain 4.5% imported fishmeal served as the positive control (T2). The other three experimental diets contained 4.5% Schilbe mystus Precisely, diets T3, T4 and T5 were supplemented with 0mg/kg, 400mg/kg  fishmeal (equivalent to 18mg vitamin E/kg diet) and 800mg/kg (equivalent to 36mg vitamin E/kg diet) respectively. Growth performance data were collected. Also, blood samples were collected from the experimental birds for plasma antioxidant analysis. The parameters measured were superoxide dismutase (SOD) and malondialdehyde (MDA). Data collected were analyzed by one-way ANOVA.

The crude protein content of the fishmeal prior to the study and after the 8 weeks storage were as follows 53.9%, 44.6% (Schilbe mystus fishmeal) and 61.25%, 57.9% (Imported fishmeal). Broiler chickens fed Schilbe mystus fishmeal fortified with 400mg and 800mg vitamin E had a slight increase in the final body weight when compared to those fed diet without fishmeal. Dietary treatment tends to significantly (P=0.106) influence final body weight (FBW) of broiler chickens. Finisher broilers fed Schilbe mystus fishmeal fortified with 400mg vitamin E had a numerically heaviest FBW which was similar to those fed Schilbe mystus fortified with 800mg vitamin E. 

Dietary treatment significantly affected the MDA concentration of broiler chicken with broiler chicken

Schilbe mystus fishmeal fortified with 400mg vitamin E having the highest concentration of 2.89mmol/mL. Moreover, dietary treatment did not show a significant impact on plasma SOD concentration of broiler chickens. It is therefore recommended that 800mg vitamin E in the Schilbe mystus fishmeal could be used to support the growth of broiler chickens.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title i

Declaration                                        ii

Certification                iii

Dedication         iv

Acknowledgement          v

Abstract vi

Table of contents        vii

List of tables       viii

CHAPTER ONE

  INTRODUCTION

1.1    Justification

1.2    General Objective

1.3  Specific Objectives

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1.   Ethoxyquin: An Antioxidant used in Animal Feed                           

2.1.1. Physical and Chemical Properties of Ethoxyquin

2.1.2. Biotransformation of Ethoxyquin     

2.1.3. Antioxidant Activity of Ethoxyquin

2.2. Ethoxyquin and Quality of Fishmeal

3.1. African butter catfish fishmeal (Schilbe mystus)

3.1.1. Taxonomic Tree

3.1.2. Taxonomy and Nomenclature

3.1.3. Description

3.1.4. Distribution

3.1.5. Habitat

3.1.6. Reproductive biology

3.1.7. Longevity

3.1.8. Activity Patterns

3.1.9. Population size and density

3.1.10. Nutrition

3.1.11. Impact

3.1.12. Uses List

3.1.12.1. General

3.1.12.2. Human food and beverage

3.1.13. Detection and Inspection         

4.1.   Nutritive value of fishmeal

4.1.1. Proximate composition of fishmeal

4.1.2. Growth performance of broiler chickens fed diet having partially or withdrawn fishmeal.

4.2. Antioxidant enzymes and malondialdehyde (MDA) concentration in plasma.

CHAPTER THREE

3.0   MATERIALS AND METHODS

3.1    Experimental Site

3.2   Sources of fishmeal used

3.3   Management of experimental birds

3.4    Formulation of experimental diet

3.5   Data collection

3.6   Feed conversion ratio

3.7   Mortality

3.8   Blood collection

3.9   Statistical analysis

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0      RESULT AND DISCUSSION

4.1      Results

4.2      Discussion

CHAPTER FIVE   

5.0    CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1    Conclusion

5.2    Recommendation

REFERENCES